title: Chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma.
abstract: Cholesteatoma may arise because of a number of events, but serous otitis media appears to be the precursor in the majority of instances. Whether one enters into conservative, simple excision of the keratotic mass or a more extensive modified radical mastoidectomy or radical exteriorizing procedure will depend upon whether the cholesteatoma is in a very small "pearl-like" mass, confined to a limited area, or whether it is dispersed to the point where total eradication is all but impossible.
mesh_terms: D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery; D008722:Methods; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications*; D011183:Postoperative Complications